A Luna Game

POV: TORIN

The heavy oak doors of the meeting room clicked shut, the sharp sound echoing across the massive space. It signaled the final departure of the elders, along with the former Beta, the former Gamma, and their respective mates. Their retreating footsteps faded down the long stone corridor, leaving a thick, suffocating silence in their wake. Beta Bram and I stood rigid by the long mahogany table, our eyes fixed firmly on Alpha Zarek. We waited in deeply tense silence. Neither of us dared to voice an unprompted opinion. We both knew the subject of a Luna was dangerous territory, a topic guaranteed to spark his temper.

Zarek dragged a rough hand down his face, his jaw clenching hard enough to pop. He shifted his dark, brooding scowl back and forth between Bram and me. The physical tension rolling off his broad shoulders was palpable.

"Can you fucking find your mates now so I don't have to deal with this Luna game?" he demanded, his voice a harsh, aggressive bark that bounced off the stone walls.

My lips pressed into a tight, thin line. I stood perfectly still, trying to gauge the true weight of his volatile statement. Then, the immense pressure in the room shattered into pieces. Zarek shook his head, a dark, low chuckle escaping his chest. That chuckle quickly morphed into full-blown laughter. Bram lost his rigid posture next, his booming laugh filling the quiet space, and within seconds, I found myself leaning against the edge of the table, laughing right along with them. Relief rushed through my veins. I had braced myself for an Alpha command or a brutal display of authority, but he chose to bleed off the stress with us instead.

The brief playfulness vanished just as fast as it appeared. Zarek exhaled a long, heavy breath. His features hardened back into the icy poker face that made him such a lethal Alpha. He leaned his hips against the table edge and crossed his muscular arms over his chest.

He spoke with heavy frustration, his brows knitting together. "I cannot do that to Odette and Valeria. They made a fair point. I am asking too much from them already, forcing them to carry the weight of this pack. But I do not know how to handle this. I do not know how to approach a woman and simply tell her she will be the chosen Luna. It is not as easy as picking a random girl for an easy fuck."

I met his intense gaze dead on. The one thing I valued most about our dynamic was the freedom to speak without filtering our words.

"But you should consider that the Luna you choose is someone you can actually stomach waking up next to every single morning. I hope you get it right, man," I stated firmly.

The sudden memory of the tracking oval flashed in my mind. I pictured Zarek and my little sister, Elowen, wrapped in that intimate, lingering hug. My protective instincts flared hot in my chest. He needed a Luna, and soon. The faster he picked a woman to stand by his side, the faster he would build a permanent wall between himself and Elowen.

Bram nodded in agreement, leaning forward on his heavy wooden chair. "Think about it, Zarek. Your mate should be the one ruling beside you."

I pushed off the table, watching his reaction closely. "Alpha, have you reconsidered looking for your true mate? Or is it still out of the question? We can travel around the neighboring packs within our zone. It is high season right now. Most of the packs are throwing balls for that exact reason. We could easily spot her there. And the Claiming ceremony is coming up in a couple of months. We should use those events just in case."

Zarek turned his broad back to us. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and stared out the massive floor-to-ceiling window, locking his gaze on the dense forest of our territory. He ignored every single mention of his true fated mate. His rejection of the sacred bond was a wall of solid ice.

He muttered dismissively, keeping his reply short as he refused to turn around. "I'll consider the Claiming Ball. I am done for the day. You can both go handle your duties."

I exchanged a knowing look with Bram and let out a quiet sigh of defeat. We both bowed our heads in respect toward his broad back.

"We are leaving, Alpha," Bram confirmed.

Zarek gave a curt nod, offering no further words.

I parted ways with Bram in the main hallway and rushed out of the packhouse. The cool night air hit my face, clearing the lingering tension of pack politics from my mind. The Luna problem was a massive headache, but I had a much more pressing matter to focus on tonight. Tomorrow was the full moon. It was time for Elowen’s highly anticipated first shift. I had not sat down to discuss the brutal details of the process with her yet. That was why I hurried my pace, my chest tightening with brotherly concern. She needed to be ready.

I entered our house, giving my father a quick wave as I bypassed the living room and took the stairs two at a time. I walked down the hall and rapped my knuckles firmly against Elowen’s bedroom door.

"Come in," her muffled voice drifted through the thick wood.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, shutting it securely behind me. Elowen sat parked on her floor rug, surrounded by little bottles. She held a tiny brush in her hand, carefully painting her toenails a bright, glossy red. The sharp chemical scent of the polish filled the room.

I dropped down onto the floor beside her, stretching my long legs out with a relaxed groan. "Hey, Elwen. Preparing for tomorrow?"

She glanced up, flashing me a bright smile, before returning her intense focus to her toes. "Yes. I was just wondering if my wolf would have red nail polish too once I shifted."

She forced a giggle, but the sound was tight and strained. Her shoulders were stiff, radiating nervous energy.

She paused, the tiny brush hovering in the air. "Torin, after I shift, will I be able to smell my mate?"

My jaw clenched slightly, but I kept my tone gentle and measured. "Not yet. As I told you before, you can only smell your mate once you turn eighteen. Do not think about the mate bond right now. You need to focus your scattered mind fully on the shifting process itself."

Elowen let out a shaky breath and nodded, her gaze fixed stubbornly on the floorboards.

I asked, leaning in to catch her eye. "Are you scared?"

She nodded again, openly admitting her fear without looking at me. "Do you think I can make it? Do you think I will have a normal shift?"

I poured as much excitement into my voice as I could muster, wanting to anchor her trembling nerves. "Of course you will. Do not overthink it. The full moon will peak around seven fifty-five tomorrow night. I am guessing you will start to feel the first symptoms around six. The change can trigger anytime between then and the peak. The pain is intense, but before you know it, you will be running on your paws. It is the greatest feeling in the world."

She finally lifted her head, the anxiety in her eyes melting into a small, hopeful beam. "You will be there, right?"

I reached over, ruffling her hair playfully, and pulled her into a warm side hug. "I would not miss it for the world, Elwen. I have training to run until six in the evening, but you message me the exact second you start feeling the pain. I will pick you up immediately. I want you to experience your first change safely and naturally within the protected forest grounds. You will feel connected to the earth out there."

"Thanks, Torin," she murmured, picking up the brush again to apply the bright red polish to her last bare toenail.

I watched her for a long moment, letting the comfortable silence settle. Then, I deliberately dropped my playful brotherly demeanor. I let my deep irritation bleed through my voice, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

I asked directly, staring hard at her profile. "By the way, what is with you and Zarek?"

Her head snapped up, her nose scrunching in a sudden defensive grimace. "What is with me and Zarek? Nothing. What were you thinking?"

I leaned back, planting my palms on the floor behind me to support my weight. "I saw the two of you hugging on the tracking oval. You looked like lovers. It did not sit well with me at all."

She huffed, turning her face away to pack her things. "We did not do anything. It was just an innocent welcome-home hug."

I hardened my stare, refusing to let her brush this off so easily. "If you say so. Just be careful, Elowen. Whatever childhood crush you had for him, just let it go. I mean it. You are going to get hurt, especially now."

She stopped moving and turned back to me, her brow arching in challenge. "What do you mean, especially now?"

I stated the facts with unyielding, protective firmness, making sure every single syllable landed. "We just finished a heavy meeting with the Elders. They are pressuring Zarek to choose a Luna. He has zero intention of finding his true fated mate, so he is going to pick someone to fill the role. I just do not want you to get all your hopes up and get hurt in the end."

Elowen froze for a fraction of a second. She let out a soft sigh and tilted her head toward me.

She stretched her lips into a bright, easy smile. "Awww, so sweet of you, Torin. But do not worry about me. I do not see Zarek that way. He is strictly like a brother to me."

A heavy wave of relief crashed over my chest. I had been terrified she was harboring deep romantic feelings for the Alpha. Knowing she only saw him as a brother made everything infinitely easier to manage. I pushed myself up from the floor and reached down, grasping her hands to pull her to her feet. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a massive, warm hug.

I patted her back gently. "I am glad we sorted that out. Your mate is still out there waiting for you. There is no need to rush into anything."

She rested her chin against my chest and let out a lighthearted giggle. "I just hope I find him before I grow as old as you."

I let out a loud chuckle and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. "You got me there. But enough of the sarcastic jokes. You need to retire to bed now. You are going to need every ounce of your energy for the shift tomorrow."